Artipoppe – Two Birds Romjul – Review

Artipoppe

Artipoppe is a Netherlands based high end machine woven wrap company who have been around for a couple of short years. In that time the company, through its use of distinctive designs and unusual blends, has taken the wrapping market by storm. The incredibly small “wrap lab” releases are highly sought after and attract an avid fan base.

The wrap

I wrote in my first AP review how I guffawed with my mother at the use of such ‘bonkers’ blends for HE wraps when I was looking at Romjul soon after Smallest was born. I also wrote how I am learning to eat my words. Consider them digested.

I fell in love with Romjul the first time I saw it; I knew it would be her legacy wrap and had quietly stalked the Facebook group for a relatively affordable one for nearly a year. This size 6 came from a lovely lady who had taken great care of it. Two Birds is the Escher AP classic design, aside from Argus, and the birds on Romjul are the smaller version. If I’m honest I prefer small as when you’re petite it’s quite easy to get overwhelmed with the scale of some patterns.

Romjul is woven on a black cotton warp with a weft of silvery gold baby camel and black mulberry silk, the breakdown and weight is as follows: 43% Egyptian cotton 37% mulberry silk 20% babycamel hair – 283 gr/m2. This makes it the upper end of medium weight and overall with the length of a size 6 it makes for a solid wrap. Well, I say solid but if you were to describe the blend and how it feels it would be fluid, liquid, a wrap that runs through your fingers and is ultra soft. The blend is also classic AP and I can understand the hype. It feels like heaven.

If I have one criticism of the design it is that the ‘wrong’ side is less interesting and if I could change anything about AP wraps in general it would be to have flipped rails. I love wraps with a good wrong side. I’m not complaining; it’s nice not to have to decide which side to wrap and just sling it on. I have to think about getting the birds to fly the right way up though.

Working with Two Birds Romjul

Put simply, Romjul is a joy to work with. After the big beast of Havana this came as a total shock as the wrap just glides and drapes so gently into place. Cross passes are a cinch, tightening is easy and the wrap is incredibly forgiving of a sloppy wrap job. Thank goodness.

I had expected such a fluid wrap to be slippy and require frequent retying but not so, once the tails are knotted (beautifully) the wrap doesn’t budge. No sagging, no gaping, just right. I don’t have to think when I’m making the second seat in a double hammock and pulling the wrap back over my shoulder is trouble free – I never lose the lightly tucked in pass. I’ve even managed to hit a centred middle marker a few times *flexes arm*.

It’s a wrap that is so lovely to work with that I have enjoyed trying many new carries and it came out for all the longer carries in the 30 day wrap challenge.

Wearing

I found my wrapping mojo with Havana so that, by the time this beauty arrived, I felt confident with a double hammock; something I never thought I’d be able to say. Double hammock carries look so pretty and Romjul was really made for this. The soft and glamorous wrap wears across the chest like a beautiful piece of clothing and the tails left over (my base is a 5) shimmer and move with such grace.

Back carries aside I use it a lot for a FWCC which I have to say, it’s a carry I’m not a huge fan of. I just prefer Smallest on my back most of the time as it leaves me much more able to interact with my eldest too. That said, Romjul is the wrap I instinctively reach for when Smallest needs comfort whether she’s unwell, tired or just needs an extended snuggle and it does the job perfectly.

Smallest is so chilled out in the wrap; the blend must feel so comforting enveloped against her skin and though the babycamel is warm I know this will be a year round wrap. She never gets hot and crotchety; she frequently nods off, head at the nape of my neck.

I did put Romjul to the test with my eldest as, although she refers to it as Smallest’s wrap I knew she was dying to try it too. I have wrapped her in a DH and also a Giselle’s Back Carry. A nearly 4 year old is never going to feel weightless but it was still comfortable; the babycamel giving the carries a softness on the shoulders and multilayer passes enough support for us both.

Romjul, oh Romjul. A year to find it and I hope at least a few years of the greatest pleasure; carrying my girls. Would I recommend this blend, this wrap? With all my heart.

Further reading

Artipoppe have a website where you can look up past releases and buy the larger released black label. Wrap Lab releases are sold (in seconds) via Etsy and announced on the Facebook page.